Finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device that includes a first hand digit component (preferably a thumb component) and a second hand digit component (preferably a finger component). The thumb component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a thumb of a user. The finger component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving an applicable finger. Each of the thumb component and finger component includes an upper section. Preferably, each of the thumb component and finger component also includes a middle section and possibly a lower section. Each of the upper sections has a first end, a second end, a body, an outer surface, and a cleaning portion. The middle sections and possibly lower sections provide the device with a desired length that helps the device to not be easily unsecured, detached or dislodged from the thumb and/or finger of the user during use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to teeth and tongue cleaning devices, apparatuses, and systems. More specifically, the present invention is a finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device that includes a first hand digit component or element and a second hand digit component or element.

Description of the Related Art

Teeth and tongue cleaning devices, apparatuses, and systems are known in the art. Finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning devices, apparatuses, and systems are also known in the art.

The present invention overcomes one or more of the shortcomings of non finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning devices, apparatuses, and systems and also of other finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning devices, apparatuses, and systems. The Applicants are unaware of inventions or patent documents, taken either singly or in combination, which are seen to describe the present invention as claimed.

An advantage of the present invention is that it allows a user to clean the teeth and/or tongue of the user or of another person or animal when the availability of a toothbrush is scarce, unavailable, or not cost effective, or is not desired to be used.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows a user to clean the teeth and/or tongue of the user or of another person or animal when the availability of toothpaste is scarce, unavailable, or not cost effective, or is not desired to be used.

A further advantage of the present invention is that it allows a user to clean the teeth and/or tongue of the user or of another person or animal when the availability of clean water or rinsing fluid is scarce, unavailable, or not cost effective, or is not desired to be used.

An additional advantage of the present invention is that it allows a user to clean the teeth and/or tongue of the user or of another person or animal quickly and without the need to use a sink, a restroom, or a bathroom.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the preferred lengths of a thumb component or element and a finger component or element of the device helps the device to not be easily unsecured, detached or dislodged from the thumb and/or finger of the user during use so as to prevent the device from falling out of the mouth and being contaminated and/or becoming a choking or safety hazard for the subject.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is a finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device that includes a first hand digit component or element and a second hand digit component or element. The first hand digit component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a first hand digit of a first hand of a user and for being detachably secured with the first hand digit during use. The first hand digit may be a thumb or any finger of the first hand of the user . The second hand digit component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a second hand digit of the user and for being detachably secured with the second hand digit during use. The second hand digit may be another hand digit of the first hand or a first hand digit of a second hand of the user.

As a non-limiting embodiment, the device includes a thumb component or element and a finger component or element (preferably, an index finger component or element). The thumb component or element is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a thumb of a user. The finger component or element is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving an applicable finger, such as an index finger, a middle finger, a ring finger, or a pinky finger, of the user.

Each of the thumb component or element and finger component or element comprises or includes an upper section. Preferably, each of the thumb component or element and finger component or element also comprises or includes a middle section and possibly a lower section.

Each of the upper sections has a first end, a second end, a body, an outer surface, and a cleaning portion for preferably making contact with and cleaning teeth and/or tongue of the subject during use.

The middle sections and possibly lower sections provide the device with a desired length that helps the device to not be easily unsecured, detached or dislodged from the thumb and/or finger of the user during use so as to prevent the device from falling out of the mouth and being contaminated and/or becoming a choking or safety hazard for the subject.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of an embodiment of a finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an environmental, perspective view of an embodiment of a finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side, perspective view of an embodiment of a finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom, perspective view of the finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device of FIG. 3 .

It should be understood that the above-attached figures are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 , the present invention is a finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device 100 that comprises a first hand digit component or element 110 and a second hand digit component or element 210. The first hand digit component 110 is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a first hand digit of a first hand of a user U and for being detachably secured with the first hand digit during use. The first hand digit may be a thumb or any finger of the first hand of the user U. The second hand digit component 210 is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a second hand digit of the user U and for being detachably secured with the second hand digit during use. The second hand digit may be another hand digit of the first hand or a first hand digit of a second hand of the user U.

As a non-limiting embodiment, the device 100 includes a thumb component or element 110 and a finger component or element 210 (preferably, an index finger component or element 210). The thumb component or element 110 is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a thumb THU of a user U. The finger component or element 210 is dimensioned and configured accommodating or receiving an applicable finger FIN, such as an index finger, a middle finger, a ring finger, or a pinky finger, of the user U.

Each of the thumb component or element 110 and finger component or element 210 comprises or includes an upper section 120,220, respectively. Preferably, each of the thumb component or element 110 and finger component or element 210 also comprises or includes a middle section 130,230 and possibly a lower section 140,240, respectively.

The present invention is effective for cleaning teeth TEE and tongue TON with just the upper section 120,220, but the middle section 130,230 and/or lower section 140,240 help to provide hygiene and safety (such as disease transmission) protection for both the subject SUB and the user U, who may have the user's thumb THU and/or finger FIN inside the subject's mouth MOU and/or who may be making contact with the subject's tongue TON. In addition, each of the middle sections 130,230 and/or lower sections 140,240 provide(s) the corresponding thumb component or element 110 and finger component or element 210, respectively, of the device 100 with a greater length compared to the upper section 120,220 by itself to help the thumb component or element 110 and finger component or element 210 not be easily unsecured, detached or dislodged from the thumb THU and/or finger FIN of the user U during use so as to prevent the thumb component or element 110 and finger component or element 210 from falling out of the mouth MOU of the subject SUB and being contaminated or becoming a choking or safety hazard for the subject SUB, such as, but not limited to, another person (such as, but not limited to, a child, an elderly person, a handicapped person, or a person requiring assistance) or an animal.

Each of the upper sections 120,220 has a first end 121,221, a second end 122,222, a body 123,223, an outer surface 124,224, and a cleaning portion 125,225. In this non-limiting embodiment, the first end 121,221 is a closed first end. However, in other possible embodiment(s), the first end of an upper section of a thumb component or element and/or a finger component or element may be an open first end. The body 123,223 is defined from the first end 121,221 to the second end 122,222.

One or both of the cleaning portions 125,225 preferably includes a cleaning element(s) 126,226 (such as, but not limited to, fibers of a natural loofah or shorter toothbrush-type bristles) that is able to permit the device 100 to sufficiently and/or effectively clean one tooth or a few teeth TEE at a time. In addition, it is preferred that the one or both of the cleaning portions 125,225 is able to receive toothpaste and/or a teeth cleaning agent. The cleaning portions 125,225 preferably make contact with and cleans teeth TEE (one tooth or a few teeth TEE at a time) of the subject SUB during use when the user U positions one of the cleaning portions 125,225 in front of an applicable tooth or a few applicable teeth TEE and the other of the cleaning portions 125,225 in back of the same applicable tooth or few applicable teeth TEE (or above or below the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth TEE to clean the biting surface of the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth TEE) and then applies a sufficient force and/or pressure at preferably about the same time for a sufficient amount of time via a cleaning motion (such as, but not limited to, rubbing, pulling, brushing, or back and forth movement) of the cleaning portions 125,225 against the outer surface of the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth TEE such that the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth TEE is partially, substantially, or entirely cleaned. Further, the cleaning portions 125,225 preferably make contact with and cleans the top and/or bottom surface of the tongue TON of the subject SUB during use when the user U positions one or both of the cleaning portions 125,225 above and/or below the tongue TON and then applies sufficient force and/or pressure at preferably about the same time for a sufficient amount of time via the cleaning motion of the cleaning portions 125,225 against the top and/or bottom surface of the tongue TON.

Each of the middle sections 130,230 has a first end 131,231, a second end 132,232, a body 133,233, and an outer surface 134,234. The body 133,233 is defined from the first end 131,231 to the second end 132,232.

Each of the lower sections 140,240 has a first end 141,241, a second end 142,242, a body 143,243, and an outer surface 144,244. In this non-limiting embodiment, the second end 142,242 is an open second end. The body 143,243 is defined from the first end 141,241 to the second end 142,242.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are environmental views that show the thumb component or element 110 and finger component or element 210 of the device 100 being removably or detachably secured or mounted to the thumb THU and finger FIN, respectively, (for example, the device 100 being pulled, mounted or fitted over the thumb THU and finger FIN) of the user U for use, wherein;

-   -   each of the upper section 120,220 preferably covers (partially,         substantially, or fully) the applicable portion of the thumb THU         and finger FIN, respectively, and is defined from the tip         TIP1,TIP2 (or about the tip TIP1,TIP2) of the thumb THU and         finger FIN, respectively, to the distal interphalangeal digital         crease DIS1,DIS2 (or about the distal interphalangeal digital         crease DIS1,D1S2) of the thumb THU and finger FIN, respectively;     -   each of the middle section 130,230 preferably covers (partially,         substantially, or fully) the applicable portion of the thumb THU         and finger FIN, respectively, and is defined from the distal         interphalangeal digital crease DIS1,DIS2 (or about the distal         interphalangeal digital crease DIS1,D1S2) to the middle         interphalangeal digital crease MID1,MID2 (or about the middle         interphalangeal digital crease MID1,MID2) of the thumb THU and         finger FIN, respectively; and     -   each of the lower section 140,240 preferably covers (partially,         substantially, or fully) the applicable portion of the thumb THU         and finger FIN, respectively, and is defined from the middle         interphalangeal digital crease MID1,MID2 (or about the middle         interphalangeal digital crease MID1,MID2) of the thumb THU and         finger FIN, respectively, to the proximal interphalangeal         digital crease PROX1,PROX2 (or about the proximal         interphalangeal digital crease PROX1,PROX2) of the thumb THU and         finger FIN, respectively.

Each of the thumb portion or element 110 and finger portion or element 150 may be made or manufactured to be one size fits all, or in various sizes and lengths to accommodate various users, such as, but not limited to, adults, teenagers, and children, having thumbs and fingers of different sizes, widths, and lengths.

Each of the thumb portion or element 110 and finger portion or element 210 (partially, substantially, or entirely) may be made or manufactured of various natural materials, synthetic materials, or any combination thereof, such as, but not limited to, natural loofah, synthetic loofah, cotton, plastic, latex, rubber, and any material known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Each of the cleaning portions 125,225 of the upper sections 120,220 may be made or manufactured of the same or different material(s) as that of the remaining portions and sections of the corresponding upper sections 120,220. One non-limiting example is most of the thumb portion or element 110 and most of the finger portion or element 210 being made or manufactured of latex or rubber while the cleaning portions 125,165 of the upper sections 120,220 being made or manufactured of natural loofah. Another non-limiting example is the entire thumb portion or element 110 and entire finger portion or element 210 being made or manufactured of natural loofah. The thumb portion or element 110 and/or finger portion or element 210 may be made or manufactured of a material that is economically and/or environmentally feasible to be disposable. Preferably, each of the thumb component or element 110 and finger component or element 210 is made or manufactured of a soft material and/or a flexible material.

During or in use, the user U can position the cleaning portions 125,225 of the upper sections 120,220 in front of and behind of (or, alternatively, above of and below of) an applicable tooth or few applicable teeth TEE that is/are to be cleaned and then apply a sufficient force and/or pressure at preferably about the same time for a sufficient amount of time via a cleaning motion of the cleaning portions 125,225 against the outer surface of the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth TEE such that the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth TEE is partially, substantially, or entirely cleaned. The user U may then move on to the next applicable tooth or few applicable teeth TEE to be cleaned.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or as shown in the attached figures, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the spirit of the invention. 

1. A finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device comprising: a first hand digit component comprising an upper section, wherein said first hand digit component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a first hand digit of a first hand of a user and for being detachably secured with the first hand digit during use, wherein said upper section comprises a first end, a second end, an outer surface, a cleaning portion, a length, and a body defined from about said first end to about said second end, wherein said length of said upper section is of sufficient length to allow said first hand digit component to be effectively detachably secured with the first hand digit during use, wherein said cleaning portion of said upper section is capable of cleaning teeth and/or tongue of a subject during use, and wherein the first hand digit is a thumb or any finger of the first hand of the user; and a second hand digit component comprising an upper section, wherein said second hand digit component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a second hand digit of the user and for being detachably secured with the second hand digit during use, wherein said upper section of said second hand digit component comprises a first end, a second end, an outer surface, a cleaning portion, a length, and a body defined from about said first end of said upper section of said second hand digit component to about said second end of said upper section of said second hand digit component, wherein said length of said upper section of said second hand digit component is of sufficient length to allow said second hand digit component to be effectively detachably secured with the second hand digit during use, wherein said cleaning portion of said upper section of said second hand digit component is capable of cleaning teeth and/or tongue of the subject during use, wherein, during use, said cleaning portions of said upper sections combine to effectively clean one applicable tooth or a few applicable teeth or applicable part of the tongue of the subject at a time by one of said cleaning portions of said upper sections being positioned by the user in front of the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or above the applicable part of the tongue of the subject and the other of said cleaning portions of said upper sections being positioned by the user behind the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or below the applicable part of the tongue of the subject, and then, the user providing at least one cleaning motion of both said cleaning portions of said upper sections to the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or the applicable part of the tongue for a sufficient amount of time to effectively clean the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or the applicable part of the tongue, and wherein the second hand digit is another hand digit of the first hand or a first hand digit of a second hand of the user.
 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, during use, at least one of said upper sections of said first hand digit component and said second hand digit component is detachably secured with at least a portion of an upper section of a corresponding hand digit of the user.
 3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the upper section of the corresponding hand digit of the user is defined from about a tip of the thumb or finger to about a distal interphalangeal digital crease of the thumb or finger.
 4. The device according to claim 2, wherein, during use, said upper section of said first hand digit component is detachably secured with an upper section of the first hand digit of the user while said upper section of said second hand digit component is detachably secured with an upper section of the second hand digit of the user.
 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first hand digit component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving the thumb of the first hand of the user while said second hand digit component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving any finger of the first hand of the user.
 6. The device according to claim 1, wherein, during use, the user provides said at least one cleaning motion of both said cleaning portions of said upper sections at about the same time to the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or the applicable part of the tongue.
 7. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first hand digit component and said second hand digit component further comprises a middle section extending downward from a corresponding second end of said upper sections and away from a corresponding first end of said upper sections, wherein said middle section comprises a first end, a second end, a body, an outer surface, and a length, and wherein said body of said middle section is defined from about said first end of said middle section to about said second end of said middle section.
 8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said middle section correspond to an applicable portion of the corresponding hand digit, and wherein the applicable portion of the corresponding hand digit is defined from about a distal interphalangeal digital crease to about a middle interphalangeal digital crease of the corresponding hand digit.
 9. The device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of said first hand digit component and said second hand digit component further comprises a lower section extending downward from said second end of said middle section and away from said first end of said middle section, wherein said lower section comprises a first end, an open second end, a body, an outer surface, and a length, and wherein said body of said lower section is defined from about said first end of said lower section to about said second end of said lower section.
 10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said lower section correspond to an applicable portion of the corresponding hand digit, and wherein the applicable portion of the corresponding hand digit is defined from about a middle interphalangeal digital crease to about a proximal interphalangeal digital crease of the corresponding hand digit.
 11. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first ends of said upper sections of said first hand digit component and said second hand digit component is a closed first end.
 12. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said cleaning portions of said upper sections of said first hand digit component and said second hand digit component comprises a cleaning element.
 13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said cleaning element is selected from the group consisting of fibers of a natural loofah and shorter toothbrush-type bristles.
 14. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said cleaning portions of said upper sections of said first hand digit component and said second hand digit component is capable of receiving toothpaste and/or a teeth cleaning agent.
 15. A finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device comprising: a thumb component comprising an upper section, wherein said thumb component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a thumb of a first hand of a user and for being detachably secured with at least a portion of an upper section of the thumb during use, wherein said upper section comprises a first end, a second end, an outer surface, a cleaning portion, a length, and a body defined from about said first end to about said second end, wherein said length of said upper section is of sufficient length to allow said thumb component to be effectively detachably secured with the upper section of the thumb during use, and wherein said cleaning portion of said upper section is capable of cleaning teeth and/or tongue of a subject during use; and a finger component comprising an upper section, wherein said finger component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a finger of the first hand of the user and for being detachably secured with at least a portion of an upper section of the finger during use, wherein said upper section of said finger component comprises a first end, a second end, an outer surface, a cleaning portion, a length, and a body defined from about said first end of said upper section of said finger component to about said second end of said upper section of said finger component, wherein said length of said upper section of said finger component is of sufficient length to allow said finger component to be effectively detachably secured with the finger during use, wherein said cleaning portion of said upper section of said finger component is capable of cleaning teeth and/or tongue of the subject during use, and wherein, during use, said cleaning portions of said upper sections combine to effectively clean one applicable tooth or a few applicable teeth or applicable part of the tongue of the subject at a time by one of said cleaning portions of said upper sections being positioned by the user in front of the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or above the applicable part of the tongue of the subject and the other of said cleaning portions of said upper sections being positioned by the user behind the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or below the applicable part of the tongue of the subject, and then, the user providing at least one cleaning motion of both said cleaning portions of said upper sections to the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or the applicable part of the tongue for a sufficient amount of time to effectively clean the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or the applicable part of the tongue.
 16. The device according to claim 15, wherein each of said cleaning portions of said upper sections is capable of making contact with and cleaning teeth and/or tongue of the subject during use.
 17. The device according to claim 15, wherein at least one of said thumb component and said finger component further comprises a middle section extending downward from said second end of a corresponding upper section of said upper sections and away from said first end of said corresponding upper section of said upper sections, wherein the upper section of the thumb is defined from about a tip of the thumb to about a distal interphalangeal digital crease of the thumb, wherein each of said middle sections corresponds to an applicable portion of the thumb and finger, respectively, and wherein each of the applicable portions of the thumb and finger is defined from about a distal interphalangeal digital crease to about a middle interphalangeal digital crease of the thumb and finger, respectively.
 18. A finger-mounted, teeth and tongue cleaning device comprising: a thumb component comprising an upper section and a middle section, wherein said thumb component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a thumb of a first hand of a user and for being detachably secured with at least a portion of an upper section of the thumb during use, wherein said upper section comprises a first end, a second end, an outer surface, a cleaning portion, a length, and a body defined from about said first end to about said second end, wherein said length of said upper section is of sufficient length to allow said thumb component to be effectively detachably secured with the upper section of the thumb during use, wherein said cleaning portion of said upper section is capable of making contact with and cleaning teeth and/or tongue of a subject during use, wherein said middle section comprises a first end, a second end, a body, an outer surface, and a length, wherein said middle section extends downward from said second end of said upper section and away from said first end of said upper section, and wherein said body of said middle section is defined from about said first end of said middle section to about said second end of said middle section; and a finger component comprising an upper section and a middle section, wherein said finger component is dimensioned and configured for accommodating or receiving a finger of the first hand of the user and for being detachably secured with at least a portion of an upper section of the finger during use, wherein said upper section of said finger component comprises a first end, a second end, an outer surface, a cleaning portion, a length, and a body defined from about said first end of said upper section of said finger component to about said second end of said upper section of said finger component, wherein said length of said upper section of said finger component is of sufficient length to allow said finger component to be effectively detachably secured with the finger during use, wherein said cleaning portion of said upper section of said finger component is capable of making contact with and cleaning teeth and/or tongue of the subject during use, and wherein, during use, said cleaning portions of said upper sections combine to effectively clean one applicable tooth or a few applicable teeth or applicable part of the tongue of the subject at a time by one of said cleaning portions of said upper sections being positioned by the user in front of the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or above the applicable part of the tongue of the subject and the other of said cleaning portions of said upper sections being positioned by the user behind the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or below the applicable part of the tongue of the subject, and then, the user providing at least one cleaning motion of both said cleaning portions of said upper sections at about the same time to the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or the applicable part of the tongue for a sufficient amount of time to effectively clean the applicable tooth or few applicable teeth or the applicable part of the tongue.
 19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the upper section of the thumb is defined from about a tip of the thumb to about a distal interphalangeal digital crease of the thumb, wherein each of said middle sections corresponds to an applicable portion of the thumb and finger, respectively, and wherein each of the applicable portions of the thumb and finger is defined from about a distal interphalangeal digital crease to about a middle interphalangeal digital crease of the thumb and finger, respectively.
 20. The device according to claim 19, wherein at least one of said thumb component and said finger component further comprises a lower section extending downward from said second end of a corresponding middle section of said middle sections and away from said first end of said corresponding middle section of said middle sections, wherein said lower section comprises a first end, an open second end, a body, an outer surface, and a length, wherein said body of said lower section is defined from about said first end of said lower section to about said second end of said lower section, and wherein said lower section correspond to an applicable portion of the thumb or finger, and wherein the applicable portion of the thumb and finger is defined from about a middle interphalangeal digital crease to about a proximal interphalangeal digital crease of the corresponding thumb or finger. 